US-Iran News Highlights: Trump says US-Iran peace deal to be signed on Sunday, despite Iran refuting Pakistan's claim

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed efforts to end the Iran conflict during a phone call with US President Donald Trump, Downing Street said on Saturday.

Starmer welcomed progress made so far and reiterated that Britain stands ready to support the implementation of any peace agreement and work with international partners to ensure its success.

The two leaders also agreed on the need to restore freedom of navigation to ease global economic impact.

US President Donald Trump, in a social media post on Saturday, said a deal with Iran was scheduled to be signed on Sunday and that the Strait of Hormuz would be immediately "open to all" after it was signed.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with his Saudi counterpart, during which the two welcomed the US–Iran negotiations in their final stage.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, says a peace agreement is “ready for signatures” and could be finalised “very shortly”.

According to a statement from Sharif’s office on X, the Pakistani leader made the remarks during a phone call on Saturday with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

Lebanon reported Israeli strikes in the country's south on Saturday, as the Israeli army issued evacuation warnings for the city of Nabatieh and more than 20 other locations ahead of raids.

The latest strikes came as the US and Iran indicated they were close to reaching a deal on ending the Middle East war that could also include Lebanon, which was drawn into the conflict when Hezbollah attacked Israel in support of its patron Tehran.

Iran's steps to manage safe traffic in the Strait of Hormuz are in line with protecting national security and the common good of the global community, Fars News Agency reported on Saturday, citing the foreign ministry spokesperson.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the Iranian negotiating team is not planning to visit Geneva or elsewhere in the next few days, state media reports

Trump to discuss Strait of Hormuz demining efforts with allies at next week's G7 as confidence grows for Iran war deal

“We think we have an Iran deal, it's a strong deal,” says senior US administration official.

US Department of State's Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, on Saturday, said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed that all commercial vessels should comply with US forces' orders as they seek to uphold peace in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Israeli military claims to have killed several Hezbollah fighters and destroyed the group’s rocket launchers as well as buildings in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours.

It said on X that more than 70 Hezbollah sites were hit in that period.

The exact timing of the signing of the Islamabad memorandum will not be on Sunday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to state media on Saturday.

Baghaei said the possibility of signing the Islamabad memorandum in the coming days could not be ruled out, but added that caution was needed regarding any comment on the signing date due to the hesitation of the other side.

The Lebanese army on Saturday withdrew its troops from a base in a southern Lebanese village after Israeli troops advanced in an area nearby, a military official said.

The departure from the army barracks in Kfar Tebnit came as the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for about 20 locations, including the southern city of Nabatiyeh and nearby villages.

The Lebanese army on Saturday said that a soldier was severely injured after being targeted by the Israeli military twice.

Iranian Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Saturday marked the anniversary of last year's 12-day war with Israel. He accused the US and Israel of targeting civilians and vowed that Tehran would remain steadfast, Al Jazeera reported.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday expressed gratitude to the Government and people of the Sultanate of Oman for the swift and courageous rescue of 21 Indian seafarers from the attacked vessel MT Settebello in the Gulf of Oman.

In a post on X, Tharoor said Oman's prompt action once again reflects the strong bonds of friendship between India and Oman. He also conveyed grief over the death of three Indian nationals in the incident.

Israeli military says air raid sirens were activated in Margaliot, northern Israel, over a suspected hostile aircraft infiltration.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that the United States and Iran have agreed to a framework for a peace deal that would end the months-long conflict in the Middle East, with a final text of the deal reached.

Pakistan is now preparing for an electronic signing expected within the next 24 hours followed by technical-level talks next week, Sharif added.

Iran's slain former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for nearly 37 years before being killed by Israeli and US airstrikes on February 28, will be buried on July 9, state television reported Saturday.